听者母语背景及英语水平对中国学生英语口音可理解性的影响

Effects of listeners'L1 and English proficiency on the intelligibility of Chinese students'accented English speech

本研究采用句子听写任务与访谈,从形式与内容理解两方面分析听者的母语背景及英语水平对中国学生英语口音可理解性的影响,并探究影响英语口音可理解性的关键语音特征。结果显示,中级英语水平者的形式与内容理解正确率都显著低于高级英语水平者和英语母语者,而高级英语水平者和英语母语者的正确率没有显著性差异。中国学生英语口语产出中的音段特征、重读信息对听者的口语词汇识别与意义建构产生重要影响;语速对可理解性的影响更具复杂性,中级英语水平者更易受较快语速的影响;英语母语者则对语调信息更为敏感。研究结果对英语语音教学及学生言语可理解性提升具有一定启示意义。

This study examined the effects of listeners'L1(Chinese and English)and English proficiency on the form-and meaning-based understanding of Chinese EFL learners'accented English speech,and investigated the key features affecting speech intelligibility through sentence dictation tasks and interviews.Results showed that intermediate EFL learners achieved significantly less accuracy in both form and meaning comprehension than advanced EFL learners and native English speakers,but no significant difference was found between the latter two groups.The segmental features and stressed information were crucial for spoken word recognition and meaning construction.Speech rate had a complicated correlation with intelligibility,and produced a greater effect on intermediate EFL learners,whereas native English speakers were more sensitive to pitch information.The study would have pedagogical implications for teaching pronunciation and enhancing EFL learners'speech intelligibility.